Electrical receptacle.



G. B, THOMAS. ELECTRICAL REcEPTAcLE.

APPLlATlON FILED APR. l, 1914.

. Patented May 8, 1917. Re -1- UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEicEc GEORGE IB. THOMAS, 0F BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICT, ASSIGNOR TO THE BRYANT ELEC- TRIO COMPANY, 0F BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT.

ELECTRICAL lEEcE'PTAcLE.

cles and particularly to receptacles adapted to receiveplug devices of the well known Edisoni base type. Among the objects of my invention, one is to provide a receptacle into which the plugging device may be inserted by direct inward thrust without the necessity for screwing'the plug down into the usual shell contact; a second is to provide a cover for the plugging aperture of the receptacle, which cover is concealed when the plug is inserted; a third is to provide an easy l entrance for the plug and a iirm grip thereon when in inserted position. Other features of the invention will be recognized in the claims, specification, and accompanying drawings in which- Figuie l is a longitudinal vertical section through a plug receptacle'in which my invention is embodied in one form;

IFig. 2 is a plan drawn to a smaller scale, and with the cover plate removed;

Fig. 3 is a plan with the upper portion of the porcelain body removed; 4

F ig. .4 is an inverted plan of the body of the receptacle;

Fig. 5 is an elevation of certain of the receptacle elements detached;

Figs. 6 and 7 illustrate certain parts of the receptacle in different positions during the insertion of a plug;

Fig. 8 is a partial cross section on the line .9*9, Fig. 3; and

Fig. 9 is aside elevation ofa modification.

Various 4plug receptacles have been heretofore devised for the reception of specially shaped plugs which may be inserted by direct inward thrust into the receptacle. InI some cases these receptacles have been provided with inwardly displaceable doors. With such receptacles only those plugs may be used however, which have been specially designed to cooperate therewith. Receptacles adapted to receive plugs of the common Edison screw shell type have heretofore been provided either with no door at all or Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 8, 1917.

Application mea Aprii 1, 191'4. seriai No. 828,909. p

else the door has been arranged to swing outwardly. In the first case the receptacle is exposed to the entrance of dust and dirt as well as being a so'urce of danger to the careless or ignorant who may accidentally or intentionally insert the fingers into the receptacle and thus. come into contact lwith the electrically live parts of the device. In the second case, the outwardly swinging door is not only unsightly but it is also exposed to acidental blows and consequently is frequently broken off leaving the receptacle exposed when not in use, with the attendant disadvantages above mentioned.

I have now devised a receptacle adapted to receive any plug of the common Edison type and have provided a door foi` the lplugging aperture adapted to be displaced inwardly on the insertion of the plug. Furthermore the contacts of this receptacle are of such character that the plug may be inserted by a straight inward thrust, Without 4the necessity for lscrewing it home, as is the characteristic method of inserting an Edi` son plug and one of its inconveniences.

AsA here shown, the present receptacle comprises a chambered body 10 of insulating material, preferably madeI in an upper section a and a lowersection b, and pro; vided with an entrance aperture 11 for the admission of a plugging member such as 12 (F ig. 6). A metallic face plate 13 may also be provided if desired, in which case it may be secured to the receptacle by screws 1,4 entering wing plates l5 held in position on the upper section a of the receptacle by bolts 16 passing up through registering holes 17 in both sections of the body 10. lVire terminals-lS-IQ are seated in deep recesses in the upper block a and are held in position by bolts 20"which also serve to connect these terminals to the conducting straps 21' and 22 (Fig. 4) let into the lower face of block b. The center contact 23 of the receptacle is carried by strap 21 and is l the frames 26, two vof which are here shown connected by screws 27 with the strap 22. In the present embodiment of my invention four of t-hese rockinglevers'are pre1.

Too

-ollE the ring.

- axis coincident with that of thev center contact. The frames for the two levers not connected with the strap 22 are held firmly to 'the base b' by the screws 28.

These rocking levers 25 may be pivoted on their'frames in any suitable manner as for instance by bending them at 29 over pins 30 carried by ears 3l on each frame. In their general outline the rocking levers are bowed and their concave faces are inturned toward the center of the receptacle. An inwardly projecting bump or catch 32 is formed in the upper portion of each rock lever, while the upper end ot' the lever is flared out vvardly at 33 to afl'ord an'inclined shoulder for a purpose presently explained. The lower end of each lever is angled inwardly at 34 and the whole is preferably lstruck to shape from spring sheet metal.

The plugging aperture of the receptacle is normally closed by a d oor 35 provided on opposite sides with lugs 36 carrying inverted cups 37 in which the upper ends of springs 38 are seated. These springs 38 lie in guide slots 3i) formed in the parts a and I) of the base and iii which the lugs of the door are vertically guided. The door is centrally apertiired on the axisI ofthe center contact 23, of the receptacle and Contact plates 40, 41 united by a rivet 42 are mounted on the door at this point but insulated therefrom by upper and lower liber disks and bushing.

At right angles io the guide s lots 39 I provide a second pair of diametrically opposite guide slots 43 in which work the downwardly extended arms 44 on the door. Adjacent these slots'in the base 7) are formed wells in which are seated springs 46 which support a ring 47. The arms 43 bf the latter extend into these guide slots 43 and are angled upward outside the arms 44 on the door so that the latterl do not bear upon the ends of the arms 48 when Ythe door is depressed, but contact with the horizontal portion of th'elarins 48 adjacenttlie body. This ring is of a diameter greater than the space between the lower ends ot' the rorkplevcrs in the position which the latter assume during the entrance ot', a plugging member. But as the plug is pushed home, the ring 47 is depressed, and tends, through its engagement with the in* wardly bent lower ends 34 of the rock levers to spread these ends apart. l

The operation of the device is readilyl iinderstood. In its normal position, thereceptacle appears substantially as shown in Fig. l. Asthc plugging member is inserted through the plugging aperture l1 it de presses the door 35 into the chamber oi the receptacle. Asthe door enters. it engages thc outwardly flared portion ot each ot ot' the latter outward so that they do not impede the ingress of the entering plug.

The ring 47 is soon engaged by the arms 44 on the door andi the latter further descends, the ring 47 is depressed. The downward travel of this ring brings it into engagement with the inwardly angled lower ends 34 of the rocking levers and spreads these lower ends thus tilting the 4upper ends and their catches 32 int-o engagement with the screw shell side contact ot' the entering Edison type plug. Obviously as long as the plug is inserted and the ring 47'is in its down position the rock leversare held in close engagement with the plug and the -latter is thus lirmly retained against accidental withdiawal.l It' desired, the catches 32 on the rock levers may beso positioned thereon that they followy the usual pitch of a screw shell thread;I or two may follow one pitch and two another pitch, or the same pitch but on another level, etc.

The contacts to the plug are established on the one hand to the plug shellthrough the two rocking levers which are in engagement with the strap 22, and on the other hand to the center contact through the contact plates 40 and 41 on the door 35, the lower ot which engages and depresses the center contact 23 ot the receptacle and the upper ot which is engaged by the center contact of the entering plug.

In Fig. 9 I have shown a modified form ot door in which the ring 47L is supported with lost motion on the guide arms 44 on the door. As the plug is shoved home in the receptacle the ring 47a which serves to spread the lower ends ot' the rocking levers, descends with the guide arms 44 and is finally depressed against the resistance of the rocking levers, by the shoulders 49. On the removal ot' the plug, the ring holds the levers in engagement therewith' until the shoulders 50 lift itoutward. In this construction, the plug. may be partially detached, as .for example, by accidental pull` upon the wire cable, without impairing the contact between the rocking lever and the shell oi the plug.

Various other modifications will readily suggest themselves and I do not limit my invention to the details described.'

I claim as my invention 1. A plug receptacle having a chainbered body with entrance aperture for a plugging member ot the Edison type, a center contact in the receptacle chamber, a door' normally closing said entrance aperture but inwardly displaceable into engagement with said center contact, for the purpose described.

2. A plug receptacle having an inwardly displaciaible door andl means positively torce-.d by the door, upon the inward displacement of the latter, into gripping engagement with an inserted plug.

3. A plug receptacle having an inwardly displaceable door and means independent of the door but actuated by the inward displacement of the latter to grip an inserted. plug. 4. In a plug receptacle, a chambered body having side and center contacts for a plug of the Edison type, and having an entrance aperture for a plugging member, an inwardly displaceable door closing said entrance aperture, and a contact on said door insulated from the body thereof and adapted to engage the center contact in the receptacle on the inward displacement of the door.

5. In a plug receptacle, a chambered body having inner guideways in its side walls and an entrance aperture for a plugging member in combination with an inwardly displaceable door normally -closing said entrance aperture and lugs on said door working in said inner guidewaysin the receptacle in all positions of the door, together vwith coil springs underlying said lugs in said guideways and serving to return the door to, normal position after depression.

6. In a plug receptacle, a chambered body having an entrance aperture for a plugging member, an inwardly displaceable door norvmally closing said entrance aperture, piv-- oted levers within said receptacle chamber and means engaging the'levers on the inward=movement of the door to force the lever ends into engagement with an entering plug member. y

7 In a plug receptacle, a chambered body having an ent-rance aperture for a plugging member,'levers vertically arranged within the receptacle7 a door normally closing said entrance `aperture and displaceable inwardly past the upper ends of said levers on the insertion of a plugging member and means operative upon the inward displacement of said door for tilting the upper ends of said levers inward into engagement with the plug, for the purpose described.

8. A plug receptacle having a chambered body with entrance apertures for a plugging member, side and center contacts in v lthe receptacle chamber, a door normally closing said entrance aperture but inwardly displaceable past the outer ends of the side contacts and into engagement with the said center contact, for the purpose described.

9. A. plug receptacle .having a chambered body with entrance apertures for a plugging member, side and center contacts in the receptacle chamber, a door normally closing said entrance aperture but inwardly displaceable past the outer ends of the side contacts and into engagement with the said center contact, the outer ends of said side contacts being inwardly displaced into engagement with the side contact of the en-l tering plug in the inserted position of the latter, for the purpose described.

l0. In a plug receptacle, a series of pivoted levers arranged around the plugging chamber, and means operative upon said levers at one end on the insertion of a plugging member to force said levers at their opposite ends into engagement with said plugging member to hold the latter against withdrawl.

11. In a plug receptacle, a series of pivoted gripping levers arranged around the plugging chamber and adapted to project thereinto, a door normally closing the plugging aperture opening to said chamber but inwardly displaceable into the latter beyond the gripping ends of said levers to permit the entrance ofva plug member and means operative upon the entrance of a plugging member to displace saidv gripping ends of the said levers into engagement with said plug at a point above said inwardly displaced door, to hold said plug against withdrawal.

l2. In a plug receptacle having a plugging aperture, an inwardly displaceable door normally closing said aperture and pivoted lever means engaging the sides of an inserted plug member above said door after its inward displacement to hold said plug against withdrawal.

13. In a plug receptacle, a plug gripping lever of the -irst class pivoted on an axis at right angles to the axis of the receptacle and provided at its outer end with an inwardly extending projection adapted to engage the thread of an inserted attachment plug, in combination with means operatively engaging the inner end of said lever, upon the insertion of an attachment plug, to force the outer end thereof into engagement with the thread of the plug.

14. In a plug receptacle, a plug gripping lever of the first class pivoted on an aXis at right angles to the aXis of the receptacle and provided at its'outer endtwith an inwardly extending projection adapted to engage the thread of an inserted attachment plug, together with an outwardly angled shoulder above said projection and against which an entering member may bear to tilt said lever out of obstructing position, in combination with means operatively engagmg outer end thereof into engagement with the thread of the plug.

l5. In a pluv` receptacle a plu(r gripping lever of the iirt class pivdted onban axis aat right angles to the axis of the receptacle and provided at its outer end with an in- -wardly extending projection adapted to engage the thread of an inserted attachment plug, together with an outwardly angled g shoulder above said projection and against which an entering member may bear to tilt said lever out of obstructing position,

in combination with downwardly moving means bearing against the lower end of said lever to force said end outward and thus move the upper end inward into gripping engagement with the inserted plug.

16.1 A plug receptacle having a chambered body with entrance aperture for a plugging member, an inwardly displaceable imperforate door normally closing said entrance aperture, and centerand side contavets within said chamber adapted to establish electrical connection with the contacts ot' a plug of the screw shell type on the straight inward thrust of said plug into the receptacle, and a center Contact carried by the door through which the electrical connection with the center contact of the entering plug is established.

17. In a plug receptacle having'a plugging aperture, an inwardly displaceable door normally closing 'said aperture, plug gripping l levers arranged within the receptacle anda member carried with lost motion by said door and engaging the inner ends of said levers to force the outer ends thereof into engagement with the sides of an entering plug, on the inward displacement of the door, substantially as described.

18. In a device of the character described, the combination of a normally dead, in-

wardly displaceable center contact, withV a coperating live conductor engaging said,

center contact on the inward displacement 'of the latter by an inserted plug.

19. In a deviceof the character described,

the combination of a side contact and a normally dead center contact, with a coperating live conductor engaging said center contact on the inward displacement of the latter by an inserted plug.

20. In a device of the characterdescribed, an insulating body having a contact chamber toreceive anlinserted screw plug of the Edison type, a normally dead inwardly displaeeable center contact to coperate with the end contact of the plug, and a normally live conductor arranged in alinement therewith and engaged thereby on the insertion of the plug to render the current supply of said conductor accessible through said center contact to the end contact of the plug.

21. In a device of the character described, an insulating body having a contact chamber to receive an inserted screw plug of they ,Edison type, a normally dead inwardly.v l

displace-able center Contact to `coperate with the end contact of the plug, and a normally live conductor arranged 1n alinement therewith and engaged thereby on the insertion of the plug to render the current supply of said conductor accessible through said center contact to the end contact of the plug, together with spring means for normally maintaining said center contact out of engagement with said live conductor.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GEORGE B. THOMAS.

Witnesses:

G. W. Goonninen, H. M. WICHERT. 

